Calling it genocide is a bit of a stretch, as there is a significant amount of free will involved in the (initial, at least) purchase and use of cigarettes, but it's hard not to notice that certain cigarette ads are geared directly toward African Americans. Surprise! There's a new $1 billion lawsuit against the major tobacco companies (these things never go out of style) brought on by a Florida woman whose mother and grandmother both died cigarette-related deaths.

The suit cites marketing documents from the tobacco companies from the 1950s through the 1990s that made disparaging generalizations about African-Americans and suggested working through black churches and youth events to recruit smokers.

"If I could, I'd try to have them charged with genocide," said solo practitioner J.B. Harris, who filed the suit. "There clearly was a racist bent in the tobacco companies' marketing. It was scientific, methodical and deliberate, and it was worse for African-Americans than for any other group."

Representatives of the defendant companies — Philip Morris USA, Lorillard Tobacco, RJ Reynolds, and Liggett Group — did not return calls or e-mails for comment by deadline.

I'm so conflicted about lawsuits against tobacco companies. On the one hand, they are pretty much the scum of the earth and make their money selling a poisonous, addictive product to the American public. On the other hand, we are fully aware, and have been for quite a while, that it is a poisonous, addictive product. I will say the producers of Newports need to be highlighted in some way for brainwashing an entire race into singularly using their product. Punished or given a medal for marketing achievement, depending upon where you stand on the issue.

[Law]